The Touch of Love
by Phoenix710
Summary: When the Rovers catch wind of Colonel Havoc's newest plan, they head off to stop him. However, Hunter is captured in the process, and Colleen has to leave him behind. She takes command, and then the team heads back, determined to save Hunter. Rated K


**The Touch of Love**

**A Road Rovers Fanfic**

**Story by: Phoenix710**

** Summary: When the Road Rovers are alerted to Havoc's scheme to plunge the United States and Russia into war with each other, then make a massive profit by arming both sides, they head out to stop him. However, while Hunter and Colleen are busy sabotaging equipment at Havoc's basecamp, one of Havoc's goons knocks Hunter out, and then the rest of them take Hunter prisoner. Colleen is forced to flee, but she vows to return to rescue the one she loves. Can she and the other Rovers rally together to stop Havoc and save Hunter? Rated K+ (Only the normal amount of violence you'd see in Road Rovers). During this fic's battle sequence, I'll be including the song 'The Touch', by Stan Bush. Also, Blitz and Samantha will be getting married in this fic, as will Exile and Kasha, since I think Blitz and Exile both need someone to be with, just like Hunter has Colleen.**

**Disclaimer: The Road Rovers and all characters associated with the series are trademarks of Warner Bros., Inc. However, Samantha, Alexander, Cassie, The Stealth Rover, and Kasha (The female Husky that I'll be introducing here in this fic), are products of my imagination. The ship **_**Carnival Valor**_** is owned and operated by Carnival Cruise lines. Halo: Combat Evolved, and Halo 2 are trademarks of Bungie, Inc. XBox is a trademark of Microsoft. The songs 'The Touch' and 'Dare' are the property of Stan Bush.**

**Chapter One: A Brand New Day:**

Colleen woke up with the first glimmering rays of the morning's sun. Sitting up, she stretched her arms out, then stood up, stretching her legs and back. Looking back at the bed she'd just risen from, she saw Hunter still laying there, a calm, peaceful look on his handsome face. She gently reached out and ran her fingers across his cheek, until he started to stir. He sat up slowly, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. After he had stretched out, he said, "Good Morning, Colleen. Did you sleep well last night?" Smiling, Colleen reached out and embraced her beloved husband, before replying "Huntie, I always sleep well when I'm with you, and I can't bear to be without you. You've become a part of me, and I feel like I'd die if I lost you." Hunter smiled, then looked into the beautiful sapphire blue eyes of the lovely Collie that had literally become the core of his soul. There was no doubt that he'd do anything to keep her safe, and the same went for their twins, Cassie and Alexander, who were now two years old, and beginning to talk, as well as walk for short periods of time. Cassie had actually said "Mama", last night, when Colleen had been reading her a bedtime story, and Alexander had called Hunter "Dada", after he finished tucking his son into bed. Hunter absolutely adored his son and daughter, just as much as he loved Colleen, and she returned that love in spades. After Hunter and Colleen finished up feeding their twins, they each went in to take a shower, dressed, and headed down to the kitchen for breakfast. Once they made it downstairs, Hunter pulled out two bowls, two spoons, and the cereals that he and Colleen liked. Hunter poured himself a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios, and Colleen poured a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch for herself. She then cut up some strawberries to put in her cereal, while Hunter poured milk onto his. Colleen pulled a couple pieces of toast out of the refrigerator, heated them up, then put some strawberry jam on hers, while Hunter spread some peanut butter onto his. The rest of the group came in shortly, and Samantha cooked some bacon and eggs for herself and Blitz, Exile poured himself a bowl of Cornflakes, and Shag had Raisin Bran. After they finished breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen, they headed off to take care of their morning chores. Hunter helped Colleen vacuum and dust their bedroom, Exile did some maintenance on the Stealth Rover, Samantha and Blitz polished their armor, while Shag took care of Muzzle. Once their chores were finished, they decided to go and do their own thing. Hunter, Blitz, and Exile had decided to have a three-way multiplayer match on Halo 2, Colleen and Samantha went to do some shopping, and Shag helped The Master and Professor Hubert with organizing the data from their various recon satellites. Hunter was in the lead on their multiplayer match, with 35 kills. Blitz was running a close second, with 32, and Exile was close behind him, with 30. Hunter was using a BR-55 battle rifle and an energy sword, Exile was dual-wielding Needlers, and Blitz was using a shotgun and a rocket launcher. They were playing to a total score of 50, and Hunter was surprised, to say the least, that the other two were giving him such a run for his money. He was currently sneaking up behind Blitz, who was, in turn, trying to get a bead on Exile, so he could let loose a rocket. Hunter rushed forward, and his sword cut Blitz's character down. Before he could celebrate, Exile nailed him with a barrage of Needler fire, which shredded him. The match went on like that, until finally, Hunter emerged victorious with 50, Exile came in just one kill behind at 49, and Blitz came in third, with 48. "That was a great match, guys. Thanks for playing with me.", Hunter said, shaking his friends' hands. "Da, Comrade. Was fun gameski. Maybe we can play again sometime?", Exile said. Blitz chuckled, and said, "Hunter, I never thought I'd enjoy myself that much, but you really are a great player, and a great leader. Now I know why The Master chose you to lead the team." Hunter smiled back at Blitz, and replied, "Hey, thanks, guys. Maybe we could take turns doing cooperative mode in the game's campaign." Blitz and Exile thought that it sounded like fun, and so they all agreed to rotate with each level, so that they'd all get an equal share of playing time.

** Meanwhile, at the shopping center:**

Colleen and Samantha were picking up food, when a loud scream was heard from the front of the store, followed by gunfire. Looking over at Samantha, Colleen said, "Come on, Sam. Let's go see if we can lend a hand." Samantha nodded, and the two female Cano-Sapiens broke into a run, headed for the source of the disturbance. When they arrived up front, the two girls found a pair of armed robbers, both of them wielding 9mm pistols, holding everyone down on the floor at gunpoint, customers and store employees alike. One of the robbers looked up, and said to his buddy, "Hey, Rick, I thought you got everybody. Go get those two, and bring 'em over here." Rick turned towards his partner in crime, and said, "Sure thing, Jake." Advancing on the two female Rovers, Rick brought up his gun, and said, "Unless you want me to punch a bullet through your costumes and into your skulls, I think you'd better come over here and get down on the floor, now." Colleen said, "I hate to burst your bubble, but these aren't costumes we're wearing. This is the real deal." Still not believing it, Rick said, "Sure, a pair of female dogs that walk, talk, and wear armor. What next…you gonna go all hero on me and try to save the day or something?" Smirking, Colleen said, "Something like that." Seconds later, she lunged forward, grabbed the wrist of her opponent's gun arm, and jabbed her index and middle finger into the nerves of the wrist, numbing the arm. Screaming in pain, Rick tried to punch Colleen with his other arm, but she caught his fist one-handed, and said, "Bad idea, 'guv. Didn't your mum ever tell you that it's not polite to hit a lady?" With that, Colleen swept Rick's legs out from under him, picked him up, and with a yell of **"HIYA!!! HARRISON FORD!!!"**, she judo flipped Rick over her shoulder, and he landed in an unconscious heap, right in a bin full of giant bouncy balls. Jake tried to rush forward, intending to get revenge for his partner, but Samantha cut him off at the pass, and drilled a bone-shattering right cross into Jake's face, knocking out five teeth. He went down like a deflated balloon, and Colleen and Samantha each produced a length of restraining cord from under the shoulder pads of their armor, and tied the two goons up. The customers and store employees began applauding their rescuers, and the Store Manager was so grateful to Colleen and Samantha for saving his life, that he let them have the groceries for free. The police arrived, handcuffed the two goons, took statements from the Store Manager, Colleen, and Samantha, then escorted the two unlucky criminals out to their car, and took them away. Colleen and Samantha headed back outside, loaded the groceries into the Street Rover, then got inside, buckled up, and headed home.

Once Colleen and Samantha had put their groceries away, Samantha went to find Blitz, while Colleen went off in search of Hunter. She found him in their bedroom, playing with some stuffed toys, along with Cassie and Alexander. Smiling, she said, "Huntie, you really have a winning touch with the kids. They couldn't have a better father, and I couldn't ask for a better husband." Hunter got up and walked over to Colleen, pulled her close, and said, "I couldn't ask for a more beautiful wife, or a better mother for my son and daughter, and I wouldn't anyway. I couldn't say how much I love you, even if I had a million years." They were about to kiss, when Exile came in, and said, "Comrades, come quickski, Colleen and Samantha are on local news channel!" Hunter looked at Colleen, and said "Now what's all this about?" Colleen said, "I think it'd be better if you see the news, Huntie." Once the team had gathered in the living room, Blitz turned on the TV, and the news reporter began her story. _"This is Jessica Kline, coming to you live from the local Ultra-Mart here in Socorro, New Mexico. Just hours ago, two armed robbers attempted to force the store's manager, standing here beside me, to hand over all of the money in the registers and the safe, but the two bandits were stopped by what the manager, and several shoppers who were there, describe as female Cano-sapiens, which can only mean one thing, that these two heroines are the female members of the elite crime fighting team known as the Road Rovers. Here are their pictures, taken from store security footage." _Colleen's picture showed on the left side of the screen, with her going into her judo throw, and on the right side, was Samantha, drilling her powerful right cross into the jaw of her opponent. Hunter turned to his wife, and said, "Wow, Colleen…you and Samantha sure showed those two bozos that crime doesn't pay." The reporter concluded her story with _"In short, these people here today are very lucky that these two brave ladies happened to be shopping here today, and they're also very grateful. Does anyone have anything they'd like to say, in case these two heroines are watching right now?"_ A little girl came forward, and said, "Thanks for saving me and my mommy from the bad men, Road Rovers. You rock!" _"There you have it, folks. The Road Rovers have, it seems, sent a message to criminals everywhere: You mess with us, and you're going down. This is Jessica Kline, WNMB News." _After turning the TV off, Hunter embraced his wife, and Blitz hugged Samantha. The Rovers then went into the dining room for dinner, where they had a nice warm meal of beef stew, courtesy of Samantha's great culinary skills. She and Shag had decided that they'd take turns cooking, so that the chores would be split evenly between them. After they finished their dinner and cleaned up, they went to do their usual thing for the evening, not knowing that they were about to face one of their greatest challenges yet.

**Chapter Two: Havoc's New Scheme:**

At a remote location about thirty miles from Russia's border with China, a secret base was in the process of being set up. Men were building runways, constructing hangars, moving Anti-Aircraft guns into position, along with Surface-to-Air Missile launchers, and pulling other supplies off of a group of large transport planes, C-17 Globemaster III's, to be exact. The activities of these men were under the direct control of none other than Colonel Gustav Havoc, who had just hatched another evil scheme to make himself more ill-gotten money. He planned to send stolen American military equipment to detachments of his troops in Russia, and stolen Russian military equipment to his troops in the United States. Upon his signal, they would commence a series of attacks that would, if things went as Havoc planned, plunge the United States and Russia into a war against each other, and Havoc would then reap the profits of selling weapons to the two nations. Havoc gloated happily, as he watched the new Russian and American fighters come off the transports. The American fighters were stolen F-22 Raptors, highly advanced and maneuverable stealth fighters, and the Russian fighters were Su-47 Berkuts, a forward-swept wing fighter with incredible maneuverability. It was the latest prototype Russian fighter, and Havoc's troops had stolen fifty of them, along with fifty F-22 Raptors. "I just love this new plan I've come up with. It's perfect for regaining the money I lost, after those pesky hounds stopped me when I hatched that scheme with the Scepter of the Valley. If they show up again, we'll be ready for them, won't we, Lieutenant Skeam?" Skeam replied, "Yes, sir. I'm hoping we get a chance to capture one of them. Then we can see just how much the rest of those flea-bitten pests are willing to do to save one of their own. Heck, they'll probably turn tail and run once we aim our guns at them!" The rest of Havoc's troops started laughing hysterically, until Havoc said, "Enough fun and games, men. We've got a war that's just itching to start, and I'm in need of a serious paycheck. Let's get these supplies off the transports, finish fortifying the base, then get ready for those annoying mongrels." Havoc and his men had no idea, however, that they were being watched from above. The Road Rovers' DogStar Recon Satellite had zeroed in on their activities, and once it finished it's orbit, it sent the data directly to Road Rover Mission Control.

Back at Road Rover HQ, Hunter was rolling a tennis ball back and forth across the floor of his bedroom, as he played with Alexander, while Colleen and Cassie colored, using the crayons that Colleen had bought earlier, while she and Samantha had been out shopping. Blitz and Samantha were watching the souvenir video that Hunter and Colleen had purchased in Hawaii, along with the picture book. It showed all of Hawaii's best tourist spots, romantic getaways, shopping areas, and other attractions. Sam turned to Blitz, and said, "Blitz, I'd love to go there sometime, with you, just like Hunter and Colleen did." Blitz smiled, then replied "Ya, I'd love to go there too, especially with you, Samantha. I never thought I'd actually find someone to share my life with, after Colleen chose Hunter, but once I met you, I realized that I needed to accept the fact that Colleen and Hunter were meant for each other, and that I needed to find someone else. I'm so glad that you helped me move past my immaturity, and I want to say that meeting and falling in love with you is the best thing that's ever happened to me." Samantha pulled Blitz close, then kissed him lightly on the lips, then went back to watching the movie. Once the video ended, Blitz ejected the DVD from his player, and said, "Goodnight, Samantha. See you in the morning." Samantha replied, "Sweet dreams, Blitz." With that, the female German Shepherd went into her room, brushed her teeth, then got into bed. Exile had just finished running some maintenance on the Stealth Rover, and once he got done, he went to his room, got into the shower and washed the grease and oil out of his fur, then got into bed. Shag was already asleep, as were Hunter and Colleen, and their twins. The Master and Professor Hubert were looking over the latest batch of Intel documents, when The Master came upon the images of Havoc's camp. "This is bad…we'll have to alert the Rovers first thing tomorrow," said The Master. Professor Hubert replied, "I agree. I just hope they'll be alright."

The next morning, after everyone had breakfast, and had gotten dressed, The Master called the team into the Briefing Room. "Rovers, it appears your services are needed again. Colonel Havoc has escaped from prison, and is amassing a huge weapons stockpile at this location here, thirty miles from Russia's border with China. It appears that he plans to use American and Russian weapons in a series of attacks, to bring both nations into war against each other, then profit from the sales of arms to both countries." Hunter snarled, then said, "I thought we'd seen the last of him, after that business with Katzenstok and Eisneria. Well, if it's a fight he wants, we'll give him one." The Master said, "Good luck, Rovers, and be careful." Hunter turned towards the team, and gave his usual rallying call of, **"LET'S HIT THE ROAD, ROVERS!!!"** With that, the Rovers headed for the hangar bay. They boarded the Stealth Rover, Hunter keyed the remote sequence to open the hangar doors, and, once they opened up, he punched the 'burners, and the Rovers were off to save the world. Little did they know, that this mission was going to hit a major snag.

**Chapter Three: A Road Rover in Peril **

When the team arrived on scene, Hunter landed the cloaked Stealth Rover just outside of Havoc's base. The team had their newly created Arctic camo uniforms on, which resembled their normal armor, but had better insulation, for greater survivability in extremely cold weather. Colleen raised a pair of Electro-Binoculars to her eyes, and said, "I see them, Huntie. They're certainly a bunch of busy little beavers. I think it's time we threw a monkey wrench into their operation, though." Hunter said, "Right. Here's the plan, Rovers…we split into teams of two. Colleen, you're with me. We'll sabotage the planes and tanks, and make sure that Havoc can't use 'em. Blitz, you and Samantha take the left flank, take out any soldiers you see, and try to find Havoc. If you see him, bust him and hold him there until we all regroup. Exile and Shag, you take the right flank, and your objective is the same as Blitz and Samantha. If you run into trouble, hit your distress beacon, and pull out. I don't want any casualties. Let's go get 'em, Rovers!"

Before long, the Rovers began their attack on Havoc's base. Samantha jump kicked a guard into an empty storage crate, then threw five more in after him, and slammed the lid shut. She then welded the lid tight with her portable laser torch. She melted a couple of small holes so that the soldiers inside could breathe, since the Rovers were not permitted to take human lives under any circumstances. Blitz bit a soldier in the rear, as he tried to draw a bead on Samantha, who was currently pumping info out of a captive soldier. Once she'd gotten the info she wanted, she knocked the man out with a hypospray, then walked over to Blitz. She said, "Blitz, that guy just said Havoc's in the base's Combat Information Center, which is at the center of the base. I'm gonna let Hunter and Colleen know about it over the radio, then we'll wait for them to catch up. You let Exile and Shag know." Blitz replied, "Ya, sure thing." Tapping her collar's transmitter, Samantha said, "Samantha to Colleen, come in Colleen." Moments later, Colleen responded, "Colleen 'ere, what's up, Sam?" Samantha answered, "I've just found out that Havoc's in the Combat Information Center of the base. Blitz already informed Exile and Shag, and they're on their way. We'll head over there too, as soon as we link up with you." Colleen said, "Roger, Sam. We'll be there as soon as Huntie finishes up with this last tank. He's just knockin' out the engine." However, a guard that happened to be in the area caught sight of Hunter as he shut the maintenance access panel on the rear of the M1A2 Abrams tank, and shouted, "Freeze, you pesky mongrels!" Colleen said, "Blimey…Huntie, we've gotta get outta here and link up with Sam and the others." Hunter moved towards Colleen, but he failed to notice a guard come up from behind him, with his M-4 Carbine raised. Colleen noticed, and shouted a warning. **"HUNTIE, BEHIND YOU!!!"** Hunter turned, but it was too late. The impact of the M-4 against the side of his skull was brutal. Not deadly, but it knocked him out. He went down in a heap, and Colleen screamed, **"HUNTIE, NO!!!!!!!!!!"** She rushed forward, intending to pull her husband out of harm's way, but the rest of the guards opened fire. She dropped and rolled, then broke into a run, dodging the 5.56mm rounds. Her heart felt like it had been torn from her chest, as she was forced to leave the one she loved more than anything, in the hands of a money-hungry warmonger. She finally made it to the rendezvous point, and Exile asked, "Comrade Colleen, why are you all out of breathski? Where is Comrade Hunter?" Panting hard, Colleen finally drew in enough breath to answer him. "We were ambushed, Exile. Huntie took a hit to the head from one of Havoc's men. They took him prisoner, and opened fire on me before I could save him. I-oh gods…I-I don't know what to do!" She started crying, and Samantha quickly moved to her side, putting her arms around the Collie's shoulders. "Colleen, Hunter went through the same thing when Strach kidnapped you, and we all banded together to help him save you, and it'll be no different this time, right?" Blitz answered, "Ya, you can count on my help. No girlie boy warmonger messes with my friend and gets away with it. Havoc just earned himself a major tooshie biting!" Exile said "Do not fear, Comrade Colleen. I promise I will do everything to make sure that you get to see Comrade Hunter again." Shag chimed in with "Rah!" Wiping tears from her eyes, Colleen said, "Thanks, guys. Let's go back to Headquarters and let The Master know what happened, then we can figure out a rescue plan. I swear though, if Havoc hurts Huntie in the least, there's not a force on earth that'll stop me from knockin' him clear across the continent!"

Soon, The Rovers made their way back to the Stealth Rover, and Exile flew the team back home. They intended to rescue Hunter, and nothing was going to stand in their way.

**Chapter Four: Colleen Takes Command:**

Once the team arrived back home, they reported in. The Master was, of course, deeply worried. He knew that Colleen was worried sick about Hunter, but Havoc still needed to be stopped, and the Road Rovers were the only ones that could do it. The Master said, "Rovers, I suggest you all go and try to get some sleep. The Stealth Rover needs to be refueled, and you all need some sleep. Tomorrow morning, we'll figure out a rescue plan for Hunter. Assemble here tomorrow, after breakfast. Dismissed." The Rovers then went to their rooms, but Colleen was unsure of how to get to sleep. She'd gotten so accustomed to having the warmth of Hunter's body in bed with her, that sleeping without him felt so…alien. She picked up her MP3 player, and flipped it onto a song that Hunter had introduced her to. It was called 'Dare', by Stan Bush.

'_Sometimes when your hopes have all been shattered,_

_ there's nowhere to turn._

_ You wonder how you'll keep goin'…_

_ Think of all the things that really matter,_

_ and the chances you've earned…_

_ The fire in your heart is growin'…_

_ You can fly if you try leaving the past behind…_

_ Heaven only knows what you might find…_

_ DARE! Dare to believe you can survive!_

_ You hold the future in your hands…_

_ Dare! Dare to keep all your dreams alive!_

_ It's time to take a stand! _

_ You can win if you dare!_

_ Everybody's tryin' to wreck your spirit, keepin' you down._

_ Seems like it's been forever…_

_ Oh! There's a little voice if you'll just hear it, sayin' it's the last time…_

_ Looks like it's now or never…_

_ Out of the darkness, you stole into the light…_

_ Fighting for the things you know are right…_

_ DARE! Dare to believe you can survive!_

_ The power is there at your command!_

_ Dare! Dare to keep all your dreams alive._

_ It's time to take a stand…_

_ You can win if you Dare!_

_ DARE! Dare to believe you can survive!_

_ You hold the future in your hands!_

_ Dare! Dare to keep all your dreams alive!_

_ The power is there at your command!_

_ Oh…_

_ DARE! Dare to keep all your love alive!_

_ Dare to be all that you can be…_

_ Dare! There is a place where dreams survive…_

_ It's calling you on to victory!_

_ DARE!_

Once Colleen had finished listening to the song, she felt her confidence renewed. She fell asleep, as she knew that she had to be fully rested in order to help Hunter out in his time of need.

** Meanwhile, at Havoc's base:**

Lieutenant Skeam made his way into the Combat Information Center, and saluted Colonel Havoc. "Colonel, sir. The mutt's been secured in the medlab of your C-17, and the lab techs are monitoring him. We found this on him." Skeam handed Havoc Hunter's wedding ring, and Havoc said, "So…the mongrel's married, huh?" Skeam replied, "Yes sir. Most likely to the collie that was with him when we captured him. She and the others got away, but they'll probably be back to save their leader, and then we can destroy all of them at once." Havoc smiled, and said, "Finally, it's payback time for them ruining my plans in Katzenstok and Eisneria. This plan, however, cannot fail. Lieutenant, tell the med techs to keep that mutt sedated until further notice, and when his friends arrive, we'll bring him out to them, shoot him dead, then eliminate the rest of them." Skeam left, and Havoc began making phone calls to his investors.

** Back at Road Rover Headquarters:**

The Rovers were up bright and early, and they wasted no time with their usual morning routines. They donned their armor, and headed down for breakfast, then assembled in the Briefing Room. The Master cleared his throat, then said, "Rovers, as you know, one of our own is in dire straits, but we will not allow Hunter to come to harm. For this mission, I am placing command of the Road Rovers in the capable hands of Colleen, since she is, after all, the second in command. Colleen stood up, and said, "Yes, Sir!" She then removed her own collar, then placed the collar of leadership, which was a brighter red than the normal ones, around her neck. The Master then said, "Exile, you will be Colleen's second in command, until Hunter is safe and sound. Once Hunter has been rescued, and brought back here, the chain of command will be restored to normal." All of the Rovers replied in unison, **"YES, SIR!"**. Colleen then set about forming their rescue plan. She said, "Listen up, team…Huntie needs our help, and we're gonna head in there, and make Havoc wish he'd stayed in prison. First, we're gonna fly in cloaked, with the Stealth Rover. I'll use an EMP blast to knock out the electronic systems of Havoc's hardware, so he won't be able to escape. Next, we'll knock out the missile and gun batteries with the Hellfire Air-to-Ground missiles, then, after we land, I want Exile, Shag, and Muzzle to take these two hangars here, and the barracks. Colleen then pointed to the other side of the map of Havoc's base, and said, "Blitz and Samantha, you two take care of rounding up any enemy soldiers in the mess hall, the communications tower, and the armory. Once that's done, all of you are to link up with me, and we'll fight our way onto Havoc's C-17 and save Huntie. Does everyone understand the plan?"

Blitz answered with, "Ya, I hear you loud and clear, Colleen!"

Exile said, "Ready to go when you are, Comrade!"

Samantha's response was, "Colleen, just give the word."

Shag chimed in with "Rah!"

Finally, Muzzle added his own opinion, "Uhh, Uhh!"

With that, Colleen said, "I know it's Hunter's line, but he's not here, so someone's gotta say it. **LET'S HIT THE ROAD, ROVERS!!!"**

After that, the team ran for the hangar, piled into the Stealth Rover, and Colleen gunned the 'burners. She was determined to rescue the one she loved, and there was no force on earth that was going to be able to stop her.

**Chapter Five: The Touch:**

It was just after dawn at Havoc's base, and the AA gunners were having coffee, and joking around, when one of them spotted something, a glint of metal, with a long, thin trail of smoke behind it. It then dawned on him, and he shouted, **"MISSILE!!! EVERYONE HIT THE DIRT!!!"** The soldiers all dove for cover, and minutes later, the first AA gun was obliterated, as the powerful AGM-114 Hellfire streaked in, detonating the ammo inside the gun. The other five AA Guns went up in the same way, as did the radar units. The SAM batteries scanned the skies, looking for something to shoot, but the Stealth Rover's cloaking system made it impossible for it to be tracked, either by visual, radar, or infrared scanning equipment. Before long, all the AA weapons were neutralized, and Colleen then powered up the Electro-Magnetic Pulse cannon. She had to decloak the Stealth Rover to allow the cannon to draw enough power, and once she was ready, she set the cannon on wide-burst, and let rip. The powerful pulse shorted out sensitive electronic gear all over the base, including the controls of all the aircraft and tanks. Radio equipment was out as well, as were the security systems. Colleen and the others exited the Stealth Rover, after Colleen landed, and Colleen said, "Alright, team. You know what to do, so let's get 'em!" The Rovers fanned out, and began their assault. Samantha took a guard totally by surprise, as she dropped onto his back from an overhead air vent inside the armory. She threw him onto the floor, then knocked him out with a punch to the head. Blitz chased two soldiers outside, where Shag promptly bashed one in the head with a lawn chair, and Blitz picked up the other one, and said, "Where are you holding my friend, little girly boy? Either you tell me, or I'm going to start biting your tooshie." The man tried reaching for his gun, but Blitz bit the weapon in half, then punched the guy out. Exile, in the meantime, hacked into the one computer on base that still functioned. He found out that Hunter was inside Havoc's C-17. He downloaded all of Havoc's data from the computer, so that it could be used against him in court, then blew it apart with his heat vision. He tapped his collar tag, and said "Comrade Colleen, I've found where they are holding Comrade Hunter. He is in Havoc's C-17. I'm sending you the coordinates." Colleen replied, "Good job, Exile. Everyone else, link up with me. We're going in!"

Onboard Havoc's C-17, the crew was working furiously to get the controls back online so they could escape, but it was useless. The avionics were totally fried, and everything was shorted out beyond all repair. Skeam said, "Colonel Havoc, it's no use, sir. That EMP blast fried everything. We're sitting ducks for those mutts. All we can do is fight them off, and hope we can take them down, before they take us down." Havoc said, "Post guards around the medlab. Keep them from getting anywhere near the mutt. Skeam, get out there and lead the team of guards outside the plane. Stop those dogs!"

Skeam headed outside, but he had no idea just how badly he and Havoc had underestimated the Rovers' resolve, and Colleen's in particular.

The Rovers began a fierce assault on the troops outside the massive C-17, and the guards had absolutely no chance. Colleen took down three of them within the first five minutes alone, one with a jump kick, one with a rising uppercut, and the last one fell to a scissor kick.

'_You got the touch…'_

_ You got the power…_

_ Yah!'_

Exile smashed his powerful fist into one soldier's gut, knocking the wind out of him, then froze him solid. Blitz and Samantha double teamed another guard. Blitz tackled him, and Samantha knocked him out with a sleeperhold.

'_After all is said and done,_

_ You never walk, you never run,_

_ you're a winner!'_

Colleen grabbed Skeam, and said, "Game's over, 'guv. Where's Huntie?" Skeam tried to kick her, but she kneed him in the crotch, and said, "Don't do that again!" She got ticked off, and knocked Skeam out with a hard right hook. When he dropped to the ground, Colleen saw something fall out of his pocket. She picked it up, and saw that it was Hunter's wedding ring. She put the silver band in her pocket, then said, "Listen, team…I'm goin' in to save Huntie. The rest of you, stay out here until I call for backup!" With that, Colleen charged the last two guards outside the C-17's loading ramp, executed a triple spinning flip, landed behind them, and took both of them out with a spinning roundhouse kick, to the yell of **"HIYA!!! CASABLANCA!!!"**

'_Got the moves…_

_ you know the street._

_ Break the rules…_

_ take the heat…_

_ You're nobody's fool.'_

_ You're at your best when the road gets rough…_

_ you've been put to the test, but it's never enough!_

_ You got the touch!_

_ You got the power! _

_ When all hell's breakin' loose,_

_ you'll be right in the eye of the storm!_

_ You got the heart…_

_ you got the motion…_

_ you know if the things get too tough,_

_ You got the touch!_

Inside Havoc's plane, Colleen was going house on any guard that tried to stop her. She judo flipped them over her shoulder, kicked some of them into walls, doors, and into tables. She was unleashing a one-Rover assault, and the soldiers that went up against her were going down like flies. She was unstoppable.

_ You never bend…_

_ you never break…_

_ You seem to know just what it takes…_

_ You're a fighter!_

_ It's in the blood,_

_ It's in the will…_

_ It's in the mighty hands of steel…_

_ When you're standin' your ground!_

Colleen finally fought her way up onto the command deck of the C-17, and knocked out the door guards by bashing their skulls together. She then yelled out, **"GAME'S OVER, HAVOC! SURRENDER, AND TELL ME WHERE HUNTIE IS, BEFORE I START KICKING YOU AROUND THIS PLANE LIKE A SOCCER BALL!"**

Havoc said, "Forget it, you mongrel! I'm not gonna let you stop me this time! I've invested too much into this plan, and you and your flea bitten friends aren't going to ruin my plans ever again. As for your lover boy, he's about to be sent to the big doghouse in the sky." Colleen snarled in rage, then charged forward, drilling her armored right fist into Havoc's face, sending him flying into the rear bulkhead of the cockpit. He wiped blood away from his split lip, but before he could get to his feet, Colleen was on him again. She jump kicked him, smashing him through the metal door that separated the cockpit from the command deck access corridor.

_ 'And you never give in when your back's to the wall…_

_ gonna fight 'til the end, and you're takin' it all.._

_ You got the touch!_

_ You got the power! _

_ When all hell's breakin' loose,_

_ you'll be right in the eye of the storm!_

_ You got the heart…_

_ You got the motion!_

_ You know if the things get too tough,_

_ You got the touch!'_

Once Colleen had beaten Havoc up to the point where he could no longer fight back, she said "Last chance, Havoc. Where's my husband at?" Havoc spat some blood at her, then said, "Go to hell, mutt!" Colleen growled, then said, "Have it your way." She tapped her collar tag, activating the transmitter, and said, "Samantha, join me onboard Havoc's plane, and bring Muzzle. That should loosen his tongue." Samantha replied, "Roger, Colleen. I'm on my way." Within five minutes, Samantha arrived, with Muzzle in tow. Two of Havoc's men had regained consciousness, and Colleen said, "Sam, let Muzzle loose. Seeing Muzzle's way of dealing with enemies should get Havoc to start singin' like a little bird." Samantha released Muzzle, and within seconds, the Rottweiller began dispensing his unique brand of carnage on Havoc's goons. Havoc blanched, Colleen said, "Eeeeeewwww…gross!!!", and Samantha turned away, so that she didn't get sick to her stomach. When Muzzle finished up, Colleen said, "Havoc, tell me where Huntie is, or Muzzle's gonna get a snack!" Havoc spilled the beans, then Colleen knocked him out. Exile and the others came on board, and Exile then froze Havoc, while Samantha replaced Muzzle's restraints. Colleen said, "I'm goin down to save Huntie. The rest of you, stay here and wait for me."

_ 'You got the heart…_

_ You got the motion…_

_ You know if the things get too tough,_

_ You got the touch!'_

_ 'You're fightin' the real fight!_

_ You know you've got the touch!'_

_ 'You're at your best when the road gets rough…_

_ You've been put to the test, but it's never enough,_

_ You got the touch!_

_ You got the power!_

_ Yah!_

_ You got the touch!_

_ You got the power!_

Before long, Colleen made her way down to the medlab, and she found two guards outside, their M-4 Carbines came up, and one of them said, "You're not getting past us, mongrel. Hands up, or die!"

Colleen put her hands up, but when one of the guards moved close enough, she struck out with her left leg, sending him flying with the power of her kick. The other one moved in, but Colleen was ready for him. She executed a judo throw, which launched her opponent into the wall, knocking him out. She then grabbed one of the M-4 Carbines, and fired at the lock to the medlab. The 5.56mm rounds destroyed the lock, and Colleen kicked the door in with a yell of **"HIYA!!! WINSTON CHURCHILL!!!"**

The shocked med-tech turned around, and when Colleen saw what he was about to do to Hunter, she grabbed a nearby scalpel off the table, and threw it with incredible precision, pinning the man's arm to the wall. She charged forward, then karate chopped the man in the wrist, breaking the bone and causing him to drop the needle, which, when Colleen saw what it was, the same chemical used to give lethal injections to both humans and dogs, she gave the tech a look that made him wish he'd found another employer.

Colleen kicked the needle away, then advanced on the hapless goon. She said **"THIS IS FOR TRYING TO HARM HUNTIE!!!" **She unleashed a rising knee strike to her opponent's gut, with the yell of **"HIYA!!! BAHAMAS!!!"** She followed up with a devastating spinning backfist to the face, with a yell of **"HAWAII!!!"** Finally, she finished him off with a powerful flying kick to the stomach, to the yell of** "JAMAICA!!!" **The tech went flying backwards, and landed unconscious, slumped against a wall. Colleen said, "Nobody hurts my husband and gets away with it!" Pulling out her Road Rover-issue survival knife, Colleen cut the straps that secured Hunter to the table, and was about to hoist him onto her shoulder, when she heard him groan. "Uggghhh…C-Colleen…is…is that you?" Colleen happily embraced Hunter, and he said, "Colleen, I've missed you so much. Thanks for coming to my rescue." She smiled, and said, "Huntie, you did the same for me, and besides, I love you, and I won't let anyone hurt you." She pulled Hunter's ring out of her pocket, then slid back onto his finger. After helping Hunter onto his feet, she guided him out of the medlab, and up onto the command deck. Once they arrived, the other Rovers reacted with joy, seeing Hunter alive, although obviously a bit weak, since he was leaning on Colleen's shoulder for support. After they had all expressed how happy they were to see him again, the Rovers made preparations to leave. Exile scooped up Havoc, Samantha helped Colleen guide Hunter out to the Stealth Rover, while Blitz, Shag, and Muzzle brought up the rear.

After Havoc and his goons had been handed over to the KGB, the Rovers were getting ready to leave, when Exile suddenly spotted a familiar face among the sled dogs that they'd freed from Havoc's enclosure out back. She was the same color as Exile, and she obviously recognized him too, since she immediately started barking and wagging her tail. Exile said, "Mother Russia…it can't be…Kasha!" He ran forward and hugged her gently, then said, "I know her, she is Kasha, an old friend of mine from before I became Road Rover. If it's okay, I'd like to take her home with us, since she's got no family now, seeing as I've found that Havoc's men killed her owner." Colleen and the others agreed, and, after they saw to it that the other dogs were returned to their owners, the Rovers headed home, with Kasha in tow. Samantha pilotedt the Stealth Rover, while Colleen sat on the fold-out bed in the rear, with Hunter fast asleep next to her. She ran her hands through his golden-colored fur, happy to finally be reunited with the one she loved.

**Chapter Six: A New Teammate, and New Beginnings:**

The Rovers arrived back home, and Colleen took Hunter down to Professor Hubert's lab. After Professor Hubert finished examining Hunter, he said, "Colleen, Hunter's going to be fine, he just needs to get some food into him, and then he needs some rest. You can take him back to your room now." Colleen smiled, and said, "Thanks, Professor." She and Hunter then walked hand in hand down to the cafeteria. In the meantime, Exile had gotten permission from The Master to let Kasha join the team, and, after she was put through the Transdogmafier, she emerged, wearing the familiar Road Rover armor. Looking around her, she said, "Exile…I can't believe it, it's really you…Mother Russia…I can talk!" Exile hugged her, and said, "Welcome to the Road Rovers, Kasha! Let's go down to cafeteria, and I'll introduce you to rest of team." Before long, the two huskies had taken their seats, and Exile began introducing Kasha to everyone else. Exile first introduced her to Hunter. "This is team leader, Hunter." Hunter put his fork down, and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kasha. Welcome aboard." Exile then introduced Colleen. "This is Colleen, our second in command, resident field medic, and expert in martial arts. She's also Hunter's wife." Colleen said, "Glad to meet ya, Kasha." Exile repeated the process with Blitz, Shag, Samantha, and Muzzle, then showed her around the cafeteria. After the team had eaten, they headed down to the briefing room so that The Master could congratulate them for their success in putting Colonel Havoc away.

The Master saw the Rovers enter the briefing room, and said, "Well done, Road Rovers. You not only stopped Colonel Havoc and ensured his being sent to prison for life, but you also recovered all the stolen American and Russian military equipment, rescued Hunter, and saved countless lives by preventing a war between the United States and Russia. You're good dogs, Rovers. Good, good dogs." Hunter accepted his collar of leadership back from Colleen, then said, **"TO THE POWER OF THE PACK!!!!!" **The rest of the team, including Kasha, were quick to respond with, **"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"**

That night, Hunter and Colleen were up in their room, holding one another close. Colleen said, "Huntie, I never want to have to go another night without you in my arms. I was worried sick." Hunter ran his hands through her long, soft hair, and said, "Colleen, all I dreamed about while I was unconscious was you, and I was praying with all my heart that I'd see you again. I can't live without you." Colleen and Hunter then kissed passionately, before falling asleep. They both vowed never to let this happen again.

Blitz and Samantha had announced that they planned to marry soon, and, as such, they were in the process of making Blitz's room large enough to fit Sam's stuff. Exile and Kasha had also planned to tie the knot, and Exile's room was also being expanded. The Master authorized a week-long Caribbean vacation for them, at Hunter and Colleen's insistance, since he felt that the team could use some rest and relaxation. Excited beyond all belief, the team began packing.

**Chapter Seven: A Much-Needed Vacation:**

Once Hunter had finished arranging for the team's accomodations onboard one of Carnival Cruise Lines' finest ships, the _Carnival Valor_, he helped Colleen pack her stuff, along with some stuff for the twins, since they'd be coming along too. Hunter had reserved three Oceanview Suites on Deck Ten, with a balcony that you could stand on and get some fresh air, while looking outside at the sea, a large Queen-Sized bed, and numerous other amenities. When the day of their voyage arrived, they took a plane from LAX Airport in Los Angeles down to Miami, boarded the ship, and immediately headed for their rooms. Colleen came out of the shower, and found Hunter playing with Alexander, while Cassie colored nearby, making a picture of her parents. She said, "Mama, I draw you and daddy!" Colleen smiled at her adorable two year-old daughter, and said, "I love it, dear. Go show daddy." Hunter smiled broadly, and hugged Cassie, then crossed the room and embraced Colleen. She said, "Huntie, I wish we could have done this ages ago…it feels so good to just be able to relax, and not have to worry about saving the world." Hunter scooped up Cassie, while Colleen grabbed Alexander, as well as their crayons and coloring books, and went out onto the balcony. Setting the twins down, Hunter sat next to Colleen on the lounge chairs, and said, "This tropical sunset is absolutely beautiful, Colleen, but it can't hold a candle to your radiant beauty." Colleen blushed, then said, "Oh…Huntie…I love you so much." Hunter kissed her, then said, "I love you too, Colleen, and I always will. Come on, we'd best get changed, or we'll be late for the double wedding."

Within a half hour, the team had gathered in the ship's Gymnasium, which had been reconfigured into a chapel. The Chaplain came up to the podium, and the ship's entertainment coordinator began playing the wedding march. Samantha headed down the aisle, escorted by Colleen, and Kasha came out shortly after, escorted by Hunter. Colleen's son Alexander held the pillow with the rings, while Cassie served as the flower girl. The Chaplain began the ceremonial speech. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, to unite these two couples, Blitz and Samantha, and Exile and Kasha, in the state of holy matrimony. If there is anyone here who knows why these two couples should not be joined, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace." Five minutes later, the Chaplain continued. "Do you, Blitz, take this woman, Samantha, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, to keep in everlasting love, both in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" Blitz smiled, and said, "I do." The chaplain repeated the words to Samantha, then to both Exile and Kasha, and after the vows had been said, the Chaplain said "By the power vested in me by the laws of the United States, all international laws, and by the power of our lord God almighty, and of the Holy Son Jesus Christ, I now pronounce both couples husband and wife. Gentlemen, you may now kiss the bride." Blitz lifted Samantha's veil, while Exile repeated the process with Kasha. Both couples kissed deeply, and the assembled audience broke into loud applause.

After the wedding, Colleen shook Samantha's hand, and wished her luck, then did likewise with Kasha. She then repeated the process with Blitz and Exile, and Hunter was quick to follow. Shag hugged both couples, then they all went to their rooms to freshen up before dinner.

Once the Rovers got down into the dining room, they each ordered whatever looked good on the menu. Hunter and Colleen both ordered Chateau Briande, with salad and a coke, Exile and Kasha ordered lobster, with a salad and coke, and Blitz and Samantha also ordered the lobster, salad, and a coke. Shag ordered the lemon-basted chicken, salad, and a coke. After they finished dinner, they all had some Baked Alaska for dessert, then headed back to their rooms. Hunter and Colleen watched their twins color on the deck, as they held each other close for about a half hour, before going in to take a shower. They put the twins to bed, then climbed into their bed and fell asleep, happy to be back together again.

Exile and Kasha spent a couple hours talking about what they'd been doing until they were reunited, and how happy they were to have finally found each other again. After a couple hours of talking, they went down to the Ivanhoe Lounge, watched the comedy show, then headed back to their room and went to bed.

Blitz and Samantha were laying in their bed, with a bowl of popcorn and some soda within easy reach, as they watched the movie _Casablanca_ on the TV in their bedroom. Once the movie ended, Samantha turned off the TV, got back into bed, and said, "Goodnight, Blitz. I love you." Blitz pulled his newly married wife close, and said, "Goodnight, Sam. I love you too." He kissed her deeply, then the two of them fell asleep.

It had certainly been a busy couple of days for the Road Rovers. They had foiled Havoc's evil scheme to pit America and Russia against one another, saved one of their own, and, in the process, Exile and Blitz had both finally found that special someone to spend their lives with, and they couldn't be happier. The Rovers enjoyed themselves immensely on their vacation, as they went to Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. They enjoyed a Historical Sightseeing Tour in Nassau, a fun day of shopping and scuba diving in St. Thomas, and Horseback Riding in St. Maarten. When they left St. Maarten and headed back for Miami, they knew that they'd have to go back on standby, ready to save the world again whenever danger threatened, but for now, they just enjoyed their remaining time at sea, knowing that nothing could break apart their bonds as a team, or the bonds of love that were shared between Hunter and Colleen, Blitz and Samantha, and Exile and Kasha. They would be together, now and forever.

**THE END.**


End file.
